This invention relates to a coin changer and has particular but not exclusive application to a coin changer for use in a vending machine.
Vending machines permit a purchaser to insert a number of coins of different denominations, select a particular purchase and, if the inserted coins are found to be acceptable and of sufficient value, the machine dispenses a purchase. If the purchaser was unable to supply coins corresponding to the exact amount for the purchase and inserts coins to a value exceeding the price of the intending purchase, the vending machine is configured to dispense change, namely coins amounting to the difference between the price of the purchased item and the value of the inserted coins.
Units known in the art as coin changers have been developed to perform both the coin acceptance and change giving. There is no agreed standard size for conventional changers but conventional practice in the industry is to use so-called xe2x80x9cshoeboxxe2x80x9d changers which all have the similar length, width, depth, position of coin entry and exit points, wiring points and fixing locations.
The shoebox changer is designed to be retro-fitted into conventional can vending, glass front vending, cigarette vending and other typical vending machines enabling vending machine manufacturers and operators to purchase changers from different manufacturers and interchange them. The de facto standard dimensions of the shoebox changer fall within a size envelope of height 354xc2x13 mm excluding reject lever (375xc2x16 mm including rejector lever), width 137xc2x13 mm and depth 78xc2x13 mm with 3 retaining support points located at the left, top right and bottom right of a 68xc2x11 mmxc3x97114xc2x11 mm matrix for retention with or without adaptor brackets as appropriate.
In normal use, coins enter the shoebox changer via an entry port situated on the top face of the changer. Coins are output from the changer to a cashbox, escrow and
or return tray as appropriate through exit ports situated in the base of the changer. A cable or cables are provided, usually on the top face of the changer for connection to the Vending Machine Controller (VMC) which provides access to power and signal connections required for correct operation of the changer.
Conventional shoebox changers all include similar mechanical hardware. A coin acceptor unit is provided at the top of the changer to receive the inserted coins. The acceptor unit determines whether the coins are of an acceptable denomination. If not acceptable, the coins are diverted to a reject path, but otherwise are directed to the coin sorter which sorts the acceptable coins according to their denomination and feeds them to a series of upstanding circular, cylindrical coin tubes for storage purposes or diverts the coins to a cashbox and
or escrow. Each coin tube is provided with a payout device.
The changer also includes a control device, usually a microprocessor which is configured to communicate with the VMC via a standard communications protocol. Examples of standard communications protocols include but are not limited to MDB and BDV. The VMC has access to information relating to the value of the selected purchase, together with an input from the changer microprocessor which is indicative of the value of the coins inserted into the changer, allowing the VMC to determine if change needs to, or can be given. If change is to be given, the VMC instructs the changer to pay out an appropriate combination of coins stored in the coin tubes. The VMC can also be programmed to deal with situations which arise due to the non availability of coins of the type required for change.
Although the dimensions of the internal sections of conventional changers are not fixed, there does appear to be an accepted trend to use 147 mm high coin tubes of different internal diameters ranging from 15.0 mm to 33.0 mm to store single stacks of coins of individual denominations respectively, as a column of coins with their major faces overlying one another.
The number of tubes which can be fitted into the changer is restricted by the width and depth dimensions of the shoebox changer envelope. In practice, this allows four or possibly five tubes to be provided, with some restrictions of the tube diameter.
A major problem encountered by vending machine operators is the limitation on the change capacity provided by current coin changers. Hitherto, operators have attempted to circumvent this difficulty by using two coin tubes to store coins of the same denomination, effectively doubling the storage capacity. However, in a four tube changer, this leaves a significantly lower and hence unbalanced capacity for the remaining two stored coin denominations held in the other two tubes. It should be noted that it is generally acknowledged by vending machine operators that three coin or more denominations need only be stored in order to fulfil most vending payout requirements.
Coin hoppers for storing large numbers of coins and providing a payout are well known in the art such as the Compact Hopper, manufactured by the Assignee hereof and described in U.S. Pat. No 4,798,558. Such large hoppers are of dimensions that would not fit within the shoebox changer space envelope. Typically, they are used free standing in a vending machine to receive coins from a coin validator unit that validates input coins, e.g. as described in GB-A-2296359. However, this arrangement has the disadvantage compared with a shoebox changer of being bulky and not configured as a modular unit, so that it is more difficult to maintain and service.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved shoebox changer with an improved coin storage capacity.
The present invention provides a shoebox changer, including a plurality of coin hoppers to receive coins of respective individual denominations to be paid out selectively, stacked with a random disposition within the hoppers.
By allowing the coins to be stacked randomly, a much better utilisation of space within the changer envelope can be achieved, so as to increase the storage capacity as compared with corresponding prior art changers within the same changer space envelope.
Another problem with conventional changers is that because change is stored in fixed coin tubes within the body of the changer, they are liable to attack by vandals, particularly at night, and so it would be desirable to easily remove the stored change for certain periods.
Preferably, according to the invention the coin hoppers and the payout devices are formed as a modular unit which can be removed and stored temporarily, e.g. overnight, away from the changer, for reasons of security.
The coin changer according to the invention may include an electrical supply and signal coupling arrangement between the main body and the modular unit for providing an automatic electrical connection to the modular unit when it is mounted on the main body.
Other modular units may be provided, selectively releasable from the main body, which include the coin acceptor, and a power supply unit.